Loss of Consciousness
Neuro Doc
Neurologist & Epilepsy Specialist located in FL, serving patients from Jacksonville, Orlando, Destin, & The Greater Florida Area.
Loss of consciousness can occur at any time and happen again if you don’t learn the underlying cause and take steps to solve the problem. At NeuroDoc, Omar Moore, MD, can take a detailed history of any episodes of loss of consciousness and order testing to figure out what may be the underlying cause. If you have questions about a fainting episode, call the office or request an appointment online today.
Loss of Consciousness Q & A
What causes loss of consciousness?
Though fainting and loss of consciousness are essentially the same, they have different causes. Fainting, also known as syncope, occurs when blood flow to your brain suddenly drops or is blocked.
When you have seizures or epilepsy, you don’t technically faint. Instead, you lose consciousness due to the abnormal electrical activity in your brain.
The top causes of fainting and loss of consciousness include:
Seizures and epilepsy
Some types of seizures, such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures, always make you lose consciousness. Other seizure types, such as staring spells, may cause you to lose consciousness, however to outside observers you appear to be just staring straight ahead.
Vasovagal syncope
Vasovagal syncope refers to fainting that’s triggered by something like the sight of blood, a needle stick, an intense emotion, or standing for a long time. These triggers send signals to your nerves, which in turn leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, which can lead to loss of consciousness.
Cardiovascular conditions
Blocked arteries, abnormal heart rhythms, structural heart problems, and cardiomyopathy are a few of the cardiovascular conditions that often cause loss of consciousness or syncope. Cardiovascular problems also cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or swollen legs.
Dehydration, orthostatic hypotension, panic attacks, and low blood sugar are a few of the many other reasons you may lose consciousness.
What other symptoms accompany a loss of consciousness?
Before you faint, you may feel dizzy, drowsy, or nauseous. You may suddenly feel unsteady on your feet or experience vision changes, such as seeing spots.
When your loss of consciousness is due to a seizure disorder, you may have all the above symptoms. You can also experience seizure symptoms that aren’t associated with fainting, such as convulsions, rigid muscles, loss of muscle tone, and repetitive movements like blinking your eyes or moving your hands.
How is loss of consciousness or syncope treated?
During your first telehealth appointment, your NeuroDoc provider will review your medical history and symptoms, completes an exam, and orders blood work or other diagnostic testing as needed to uncover the reason for syncope.
NeuroDoc specializes in providing comprehensive care for any unexplained impairment in consciousness. If your provider discovers an underlying heart condition, they refer you to a trusted cardiologist in your area.
If you are having recurrent episodes of loss of consciousness, please call or fill out an online request form with NeuroDoc today.